Hatake Kakashi and the Cup of Tears
by Akatsuki210
Summary: A new jutsu gone awry hurls Kakashi into a strange world of magic and mystery.  Who will he meet there, and how will he get home?  Crossover with HP.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own either the Naruto or the Harry Potter series, nor do I own any of the characters from either series. 

**Warning:** This fic contains spoilers for both the Naruto manga and the most recent Harry Potter book (HBP).

* * *

**Hatake Kakashi and the Cup of Tears**

_Chapter 1: An Unusual Predicament _

Kakashi gritted his teeth and ignored the sweat dripping down his face. His right eye was squeezed shut, and his left eye was opened wide. Within it, the pinwheel of the Mangekyou Sharingan spun frantically as Kakashi tried to strengthen his jutsu.

During the fight against Deidara, Kakashi had used a Mangekyou technique to pull part of the missing-nin's arm into another dimension. The jutsu was at that time incomplete—only a small amount of matter could be forced through the rip created in the fabric of reality by the Mangekyou's awesome power. For the technique to be useful for killing an enemy, a larger volume of matter needed to be affected. Ideally, one should be able to send the opponent's entire body into the ether—or, failing that, at least his head or heart. To that end, Kakashi struggled to widen the hole that had appeared in midair in front of him. Reality rippled and swirled around it, and Kakashi gritted his teeth harder.

The tiny rip in space and time grew larger, widening to the size of a quarter, then a tennis ball, and then a dinner plate. Kakashi's limbs trembled and he felt light-headed, but he didn't release the jutsu. Now the hole was two feet in diameter, now three feet, now four…

Kakashi was pushing his chakra reserves to their limits, and eventually his body just said _"enough"_. He collapsed to his knees, and his previous light-headedness progressed to full-fledged vertigo. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the vortex of disrupted space advancing towards him.

* * *

Consciousness came back slowly, and with it came an array of aches all over his body. Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, and reflexively reached for his kunai pouch when he saw a huge, shaggy figure looming over him. He was most alarmed to discover that the kunai pouch was gone. So was his shuriken pouch and the green vest containing his scrolls. A breeze drifted across the lower half of his face, demonstrating that his mask had been removed as well.

The shaggy figure turned away from him, and as his vision came back into focus, he saw that it was a large man with long black hair and a tangled beard. "It looks like he's coming around, Madam Pomfrey," the man said.

Kakashi frowned. The man had clearly said something, but it was in a language he didn't recognize. During his time in ANBU, Kakashi had become familiar with the dialects spoken in all the major shinobi countries, but this language was completely unfamiliar to him.

A woman bustled over to his bedside. She had a worried expression on her face and was wearing what looked like a nurse's outfit. "You've been injured, but it's all right. We're taking care of you."

Kakashi blinked. The woman's tone of voice was reassuring and comforting. The expression on her face was one of concern. Although the man's large size was disconcerting at first, he shared the woman's concerned expression. Kakashi didn't think that either one meant to harm him, but he still had no idea what they were saying to him. "Konichiwa…?" he said hesitantly.

The man and woman looked at each other in confusion. "Is that your name?" the woman asked. She pointed at him and repeated his greeting. "Konichiwa?"

Kakashi shook his head, then pointed to his chest and said, "Hatake Kakashi."

"Well, Mr. Kakashi, my name is Poppy Pomfrey and this is Rubeus Hagrid. Hagrid found you unconscious in the Forbidden Forest and brought you here. I've treated your injuries, and you should be fully recovered within a couple of days. Do you remember anything about how you got here?"

Kakashi frowned again, trying to decipher this strange speech. From the woman's gestures, he figured out that she was called Poppy Pomfrey and her male companion was Rubeus Hagrid, but he couldn't make heads or tails of the rest.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Madam Pomfrey said in a frustrated tone. "We'll never figure out what's going on if we can't even talk to him." She reached into a pocket and withdrew a polished stick about a foot long. The stick was filled with a powerful chakra, which Kakashi detected immediately. Anticipating an attack, Kakashi leapt from the bed, taking up a basic taijutsu stance.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed!" Madam Pomfrey seemed alarmed by his sudden movement, and Hagrid got to his feet as well.

"It's all right," Hagrid said calmly, holding his huge hands spread apart to show that he carried no weapon. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to talk to you."

Slowly, Madam Pomfrey placed the stick against her throat and muttered, "_Locutor._" When she next opened her mouth, Kakashi was amazed to hear that she was speaking a perfect Fire Country dialect. "Mr. Kakashi, my name is Poppy Pomfrey, and this is Rubeus Hagrid. About two hours ago, Hagrid found you unconscious in the Forbidden Forest. Your body seems to have suffered a great deal of strain, and you are exhausted. I've treated your injuries, and you should recover fully in a couple of days. I've cast a spell on myself so that I can speak your language. I would like to cast the same spell on you. Will you allow that?"

"_Spell"? Is that these people's word for "jutsu"? And what is this "Forbidden Forest" she keeps talking about?_ _And why does she need that stick to use jutsu?_ Many things remained unclear, but it seemed that the chakra-filled stick was not a weapon, and that these people did not intend to hurt him. In fact, they had treated the injuries he had incurred during his experiment with the Mangekyou. _But where am I? They seem to think that "Kakashi" is my clan name—that in itself tells me that I'm a long way from home._ In answer to Madam Pomfrey's question, he nodded.

Madam Pomfrey slowly approached him and laid the tip of the stick against his throat. "_Locutor._"

Kakashi felt foreign chakra entering his body, gathering around his larynx. "My name is Hatake Kakashi—Hatake is my clan name. I'm from Konoha, in the Fire Country. I was experimenting with a…spell…and something seems to have gone wrong. I depleted all of my energy casting the spell, which is why I passed out. I also seem to have been transported to a distant location. I apologize for entering your Forbidden Forest, but I had no control over where the backlash from the spell sent me. Thank you for treating my injuries. Where am I?"

Madam Pomfrey's face softened with relief that she could finally communicate with her patient. "You are in the infirmary at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

* * *

**A/N: **I absolutely love both the Harry Potter and Naruto series, so it was only a matter of time before I did a crossover fic. And it really is about time that I wrote a Kakashi story, since he's my favorite Naruto character. 


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two: The Cup of Tears_

"The…what?" Kakashi was bewildered. "What village am I in? What country?"

"Hogwarts is not in a town per se, but the village of Hogsmeade is quite nearby," Madam Pomfrey explained. "You are in the country of England." At Kakashi's look of confusion, she elaborated. "Great Britain. The United Kingdom."

"I…do not recognize any of those names."

"Well, perhaps we can figure this out another way, then. What town and country are _you _from?"

"The Hidden Village of Konoha, in the Fire Country."

Madam Pomfrey replied, but Kakashi couldn't understand what she was saying because she had reverted to her native language. _That jutsu she used to speak my language must have worn off._ "Poppy-san, there may be an easier way for us to communicate. Do you have a dictionary of your language?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded, and pointed her chakra stick at the door to the infirmary. "_Accio Dictionary!_"

A few seconds passed, and then something thumped against the other side of the door. Madam Pomfrey opened it and plucked a thick book out of midair. She handed it to Kakashi, who flipped through it, scanning each page with his Sharingan. When he had finished, he spoke to Madam Pomfrey in her own language. "I should now be able to understand you. What did you say after I told you I was from Konoha, in the Fire Country?"

Madam Pomfrey blinked in surprise. "How did you learn our language so quickly? Never mind, what I said before is that I've never heard of Konoha or the Fire Country."

Now it was Kakashi's turn to be surprised. The Fire Country was the most powerful of the five great shinobi nations. _Everyone_ had heard of the Fire Country.

"Hagrid, please go get Professor McGonagall. Perhaps with her help, we can make some sense of this." After Hagrid left, Madam Pomfrey turned back to Kakashi. "Professor McGonagall is the Headmistress of Hogwarts. With any luck, she'll be able to sort out where you came from and how to get you back."

While they were waiting for Professor McGonagall to arrive, Madam Pomfrey explained that the chakra sticks used by the people at Hogwarts were called wands, and were necessary for most chakra manipulation (which these people called "magic"). Few people could do magic, and those who could were called "witches" and "wizards". Hogwarts was a school in which young witches and wizards learned how to control and hone their powers. Kakashi was both fascinated and worried. He had never heard of such a place before, and the terms these people used to describe chakra manipulation were completely alien to him. _Just how far away from home am I?_

Professor McGonagall was a tall, thin woman with a no-nonsense air about her. She greeted Kakashi, inquired as to whether his injuries were healing well, and then began trying to figure out where the hell he'd come from. Like Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid, she had never heard of Konoha or the Fire Country before. "Could you, perhaps, sketch a map of the area you come from? We could then compare it to our own maps." Kakashi obliged, drawing a detailed map of the continent, labeling each nation and Hidden Village. It didn't match with any of the maps at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall showed Kakashi's drawing to every teacher and compared it to the maps in every geography book in the Hogwarts library. But not a single one of the locations on Kakashi's map was recognized by anyone at the school.

A horrible suspicion began to dawn in Kakashi's mind. He remembered seeing the vortex of ruptured space-time coming closer just before he lost consciousness. And he _had_ been experimenting with a jutsu that ripped through the barrier between dimensions. "Professor McGonagall," he said tentatively, hoping against hope that he was wrong. "I believe I may have an idea about what's happened to me. What do you know about the existence of alternate dimensions?"

"It is well-known that other dimensions exist, but very little is understood about what those dimensions are like or how exactly they relate to our own. I believe that is one of the topics studied by those witches and wizards who work at the Department of Mysteries."

Kakashi nodded. "There is a very powerful jut—er, I mean spell—that can open a doorway to another dimension and send objects or people through it. I was experimenting with that spell, and lost control of it just before I arrived here. I believe that, as a side effect of losing control of the spell, I was catapulted into another dimension—yours."

Professor McGonagall's face paled. "That explanation fits the available facts, but…if it's true, how do we send you back home?"

"Couldn't he simply use the same spell he used to get here in the first place?" suggested Madam Pomfrey.

Kakashi shook his head. "The spell doesn't allow the user control over _which_ dimension he sends his target to. I'd have no way to make sure I went to the right place. In addition, making the doorway wide enough to allow an adult to pass through is extremely difficult. I drained all of my magical energy and lost consciousness the last time I tried."

"Perhaps one of our own spells could do it, then?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"We don't have any spell that allows travel between dimensions," Professor McGonagall replied wearily. "If Albus were here, I'm sure he could find a way, but…"

"But Albus _isn't_ here," Madam Pomfrey said, placing a hand on Professor McGonagall's shoulder. "You're the Headmistress now."

Professor McGonagall nodded briskly. "You're right. And I shall do everything in my power to help our guest get home." She stood, assuming a confident air. "As I said before, the Department of Mysteries investigates the subject of alternate dimensions. If anyone knows of a way to cross from one dimension into another, it would be them."

* * *

Before setting off for the Ministry of Magic, Kakashi secured the return of his hitai-ate, which he used to cover his Sharingan eye, and his mask. "I don't mean to pry, but is that left eye of yours magical?" asked Professor McGonagall.

Kakashi nodded. "I…lost my original left eye when I was a young man. The eye I have now was transplanted into me from a comrade who died in the same battle. It allows me to use several unique spells—including the one that sent me here."

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Really? It's very powerful, then—even more so than Alastor's magical eye."

As they walked to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds to a location from which they could Disapparate, Professor McGonagall told Kakashi about the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Mysteries that they would be visiting. "I don't mean to seem inhospitable, but I think it would be best if we could get you home as soon as possible. There is…a war going on right now, and the other side is always seeking powerful weapons. The ability to do magic without a wand is very rare here, and if word of your ability were to get out, well…let's just say that certain people might develop an unhealthy interest in you."

"There is trouble brewing in my world as well. One of my students has been targeted by a renegade organization…I'm very eager to get home so that I can protect him."

"You're a teacher as well?"

"Yes. I have three students…well, I _had_ three. Now I have two, plus another student who's joined my squad to replace the one who left."

"Left?" The expression on Professor McGonagall's face suggested that she was interpreting "left" to mean "died".

"It's a long story. One of my students suffered a great tragedy when he was young. He left my tutelage in order to pursue revenge against the man responsible for it. I…can't help feeling as though I've failed him somehow, as if I should have taught him better." Kakashi would normally never speak of such feelings so openly, but for some reason felt as though he could do so in this situation. After all, if things went well, he would soon be leaving and never see these people again. It wasn't like talking to Gai or Kurenai, whom he had to face every day. He would never want to show weakness in front of them. Besides, this woman was a sensei as well—she surely understood what it felt like to worry that you hadn't taught your students well enough.

Professor McGonagall's usually stern expression softened. "The leader of the other side in the war I mentioned before…he used to be a student at this school. One of the most brilliant to ever pass through these halls, in fact. I remember having him in my Transfiguration classes, when I was a new teacher at Hogwarts. He had the kind of keen mind and thirst for knowledge that is exceedingly rare to find. But he also had a thirst for power, and he failed to understand that there are some limits that just should not be crossed. All of us—except Albus, perhaps—only saw the eager genius student. We didn't see the potential for evil that lay hidden within. If we had seen…could we have changed him? Could we have altered the terrible course of history?" She sighed. "But all of that is in the past now. What matters is the future." They had arrived at the gates of the Hogwarts grounds. "Hold onto my arm tightly. I'm going to use a Disapparation spell—it allows the user to teleport instantly from one place to another."

Kakashi obediently gripped Professor McGonagall's arm. A strange sensation overcame him—it felt as though his entire body was being forced through a very narrow hole. It was quite uncomfortable, and when they reappeared in a grand hall, he stumbled. Catching his breath, he looked around. Fireplaces lined the walls of the huge lobby, and he gasped as he saw that people were walking into and out of the green flames that flickered within them. In the center of the hall was a giant fountain, which he walked over to inspect.

Five golden statues stood in the fountain. Two were a human male and female, holding the chakra sticks that these people called "wands". The third had the hindquarters of a horse and the torso and head of a man. The fourth was a short, squint-eyed creature, and the fifth was a tiny being with huge ears and bulbous eyes. A plaque on the fountain read: "FOUNTAIN OF MAGICAL BRETHREN. This statue depicts the most populous of the magic-using races: humans, centaurs, goblins, and house-elves. Proceeds from the fountain benefit St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Funds for renovation of the fountain were generously donated by the Macmillan family."

Professor McGonagall escorted Kakashi across the lobby to an elevator, which quickly began moving downward. Occasionally, another person would get into the elevator, greet Professor McGonagall heartily, and nod politely to Kakashi. Finally, they arrived at the floor on which the Department of Mysteries was located. "I must warn you," Professor McGonagall said, "that a visit to the Department of Mysteries can often be…disconcerting. As the name of the Department suggests, the subjects studied here are exceedingly strange and wondrous. People sometimes find themselves…changed…by being around such things."

Kakashi nodded, inwardly thinking that after nearly two decades as a shinobi, there wasn't much that could surprise him. Professor McGonagall led him through a simple black door, and he found himself in a circular room with similar black doors evenly spaced all around its walls. All the doors were identical. The lighting in the room was dim, supplied only by candles interspersed between the doors. As soon as the door behind them closed, the room began to spin. Kakashi began to form handseals, but Professor McGonagall said, "We're not being attacked. This is simply a security measure to prevent intruders from finding their way out again." When the room stopped moving, Kakashi followed Professor McGonagall through a door directly to their left.

They were in a huge amphitheater, with rows of stone benches encircling a simple platform. On the platform was an ancient arch with a tattered black veil hanging from it. Kakashi was instantly suspicious, because although he could feel no breeze, the veil was fluttering as if from a slight wind. Thinking that perhaps someone had just crossed through the veil, Kakashi called out, "Hello?" No one answered.

"There's no one here, Kakashi," Professor McGonagall said. He glanced at her face, and saw that she looked worried. Something about this room frightened her. He was sure that she was wrong, because he could hear several voices whispering. It sounded like the voices were coming from behind the arch. He began to descend the stone steps toward the platform it rested on.

"Kakashi, this isn't the room our meeting is in. We need to go through that door." Professor McGonagall gestured off to the side of the room, but Kakashi wasn't paying attention to her. The whispering voices were becoming slightly clearer. "Hello?" he called again.

"Kakashi, please--!" He could hear Professor McGonagall hurrying down the steps behind him, and held up a hand to stop her. "Someone is hiding here, behind that arch," he said in a low voice. He strained to hear what the whispering voices were saying. They sounded so familiar…

"Become a strong shinobi, my son…" 

"_A ninja who disobeys the rules and regulations is called trash, but a ninja who abandons his friends is worse than trash!"_

"_I have to do this, Kakashi-san. No one else can stop the Kyuubi."_

"_You should see this kid, Kakashi-san! He may be lazy as hell, but he's beat me at shougi twenty-three times so far. I'm telling you, he's a genius!"_

"That's impossible…" Kakashi whispered wonderingly. "Those voices…they're the voices of the dead…"

"Yes," Professor McGonagall replied, her lips narrowing to a thin line. "The mystery studied in this chamber is Death. This arch is incredibly ancient. No one knows who built it or how. But the voices of the dead can be heard from within it. And anyone who walks through it…" Her voice trailed off, but Kakashi thought he knew what she meant to say.

"Anyone who walks through the arch dies?"

Professor McGonagall nodded mutely.

Kakashi walked down the rest of the stairs and stood before the arch. "Be at peace, old friends," he said softly, then followed Professor McGonagall through the door she had indicated earlier.

* * *

This room was, if possible, even stranger than the last. It was completely dark, except for the faint glow emitted by globes that hung in midair. Each globe was a different size and color from all of the others. Nine of the globes rotated around a tenth, by far the brightest, which hung in the center of the room. With a shock, Kakashi realized that the globes represented a huge model of the solar system. A man appeared at the other end of the room and began walking towards them. After narrowly avoiding being hit in the head by Jupiter, he extended a hand to Kakashi. "My name is Hiram Croaker. I work here in the Department of Mysteries. I understand you've had a slight bit of trouble with an alternate dimension?"

"That depends on your definition of 'slight'," Professor McGonagall clarified. "Mr. Hatake is _from _an alternate dimension. We need to find a way to get him home."

Croaker ducked as Pluto swung over his head and said, "Well, this really _is_ a rare event. Hmm…how to return someone to an alternate dimension…I don't suppose we could just send him back the way he came?"

"No, we've already discussed that possibility, and it won't work," Kakashi told him.

Croaker sighed. "Learning anything about alternate dimensions is very difficult, much less _transporting_ anything into or out of one. And of course, any spell becomes infinitely more complicated when it's applied to living beings…" He trailed off, appearing to be deep in thought. "The only thing I've heard of that could do what you want is the Cup of Tears…"

"What's that?" asked Kakashi.

"An ancient and powerful magical artifact," Professor McGonagall explained. "It is a cup that was originally owned by Helga Hufflepuff, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. One night, Salazar Slytherin—another of the founders—had a huge argument with the other three founders that led to his leaving the school. Helga Hufflepuff was sitting at the head table in the Great Hall at the time, with her cup in front of her. It is said that she cried so hard over the argument and Slytherin's departure that the cup filled with her tears, hence its name."

"That's a fascinating story," Kakashi said, "but what does it have to do with getting me back home?"

"Well, you see, Hufflepuff had an interest in the theory of alternate dimensions, just as I do," said Croaker. "She placed many powerful enchantments on her Cup, and one of these had to do with that subject. If the Cup is filled with a liquid and a user of sufficient magical power stares into it, he can see any place he desires—any location in this world or in any other. Furthermore, if a user does this and then pours the liquid in the Cup over someone's head, that person will be transported to the location that was being viewed at the time."

"The problem," Professor McGonagall broke in, "is that no one has any idea where the Cup is now."

"We do." This interjection came from somewhere behind Kakashi and Professor McGonagall. The speaker was a boy, no older than a teenager judging by the sound of his voice.

"Well, we don't know exactly where it is," clarified a matter-of fact female voice, "but we know who has it."

Kakashi turned around and saw three young people standing in the doorway—two boys and a girl. The girl had dark eyes and very bushy brown hair. Next to her was a tall boy with red hair and many freckles. On the other side of this boy was the one who had spoken. He had vivid green eyes, brown hair, and a rather unusual-looking scar on his forehead.

"Ah, I thought you three might turn up here sooner or later," said Professor McGonagall. "Hatake Kakashi, meet Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter."

* * *

**A/N: **Harry finally shows up! Regarding the voices Kakashi hears in the Death Room: The first is his father, the second is Obito, the third is Yondaime, and the fourth is Asuma (who is speaking about Shikamaru).

I know the Fountain of Magical Brethren got destroyed in OOTP; I decided that it has since been rebuilt. Also, I figured that McGonagall would be the most likely person to become Head of Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death.

As always, reviews are much appreciated! (And especially, please let me know if I'm getting anything about the HP universe wrong—my HP books are at my parents' house at the moment, so I don't have them with me to refer to.)


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: The Search Begins_

Harry Potter extended a hand to Kakashi. "Good to meet you, Mr. Kakashi."

"Er, Kakashi is my personal name, actually. Did I hear you say something about knowing where the Cup of Tears is?"

"We know who's currently in possession of it, but we don't know where he's keeping it," Harry clarified. "Why are you interested in it?"

"May I speak to the three of you for a moment?" Professor McGonagall interjected. She ushered the three to a corner of the room behind Saturn and began speaking to them in a low voice. Being a shinobi, Kakashi could hear every word she was saying. She explained the basics of Kakashi's situation to the three teenagers, telling them why he was searching for the Cup. This confused Kakashi slightly. In his world, shinobi children began taking missons when they were several years younger than Harry and his friends, but he had been under the impression that children here did not become independent adults until the age of seventeen or eighteen.

When Professor McGonagall returned, all three of the students were looking at him with undisguised curiosity. "I believe we may have worked out a solution to your problem," Professor McGonagall stated. "I told you a while ago that our world is at war. The leader of the other side is an exceedingly evil wizard named Lord Voldemort. We believe that he is the current owner of the Cup of Tears."

"He's made it into a Horcrux," Harry said.

"A what?"

Hermione took a deep breath, and then began speaking in the tone of a teacher lecturing to her students. "A Horcrux is an object of very Dark magic that can be made by a powerful wizard. Basically, when a person commits murder, it rips their soul in half. A Dark wizard can take one of those pieces of soul and encase it within an object—the Horcrux. Unless that Horcrux is destroyed, the maker can't be killed, no matter how much damage is done to his body. Lord Voldemort made six Horcruxes, one of which is the Cup of Tears."

"If that's the case," Kakashi said slowly, "the Cup is likely to be very heavily guarded."

"That's true," Harry responded. "Hermione, Ron, and I are searching for the Horcruxes. We intend to find and destroy all of them. We could make finding the Cup our first priority, and let you use it to get home before we destroy it."

Kakashi's eyebrows drew together in an expression of consternation. "This Horcrux-destroying mission sounds very important, and very dangerous. Shouldn't you have some more experienced wizards assisting you?"

"I can't say that I entirely approve of it either," Professor McGonagall said, "but…there are special circumstances in this case." She didn't elaborate, but the look she gave Harry suggested that the "special circumstances" had something to do with him in particular.

Kakashi nodded. "So…how do we go about finding where this Voldemort person has stashed the Cup?"

"The best thing to do, I think, would be to consult with the Order of the Phoenix," suggested Hermione. "They've been spying on Voldemort and his Death Eaters, so they have the best chance of knowing something about his Horcruxes."

* * *

Kakashi, Harry, Hermione, and Ron went back up to the lobby, where Ron explained that they would be traveling to his family's home by something called Floo, then going to the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters with Ron's parents. "Floo" turned out to be the green-flamed fireplaces that Kakashi had noticed earlier. After Harry and Ron had demonstrated the proper use of Floo powder, Kakashi took a handful and threw it into one of the fireplaces. Bracing himself, he stepped into the flames and called, "The Burrow!" Contrary to his expectations, the green flames were not uncomfortably hot, although they did tickle. He experienced a sensation of spinning around very fast, and then found himself in a large, cluttered kitchen alongside Harry and Ron. Hermione stepped out of the fireplace a moment later, and the group was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ron told his parents about Kakashi's predicament, and Mrs. Weasley welcomed him warmly. "I still don't like the idea of you three searching for these Horcruxes by yourselves!" she told her son worriedly, and Kakashi got the sense that this was an argument they'd had many times before.

"How are we going to get to the Order's headquarters?" Kakashi asked curiously.

"We'll be Apparating," Mrs. Weasley said. "Hermione will take you in Side-Along Apparition, and Arthur and I will take Ron and Harry, since they haven't passed their Apparition test. Oh, and I almost forgot—did Minerva give you the sheet Mr. Hatake will need?" She directed this last bit to Ron.

"Yeah, Mom. Here." The redheaded boy thrust a piece of paper into Kakashi's hands. In simple, neat printing it read, "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London."

"You'll need to memorize that. When we get to the Headquarters, call those words back to mind and you'll be able to enter."

"You see, only Minerva can disclose the location of the Headquarters," Mrs. Weasley explained, "because she's been Secret-Keeper for the Order ever since Dumbledore died."

The Apparition went smoothly, and the group soon found themselves standing in the middle of a soccer field. "So now, I have to remember the words on that paper?" Kakashi asked.

"No, we have to walk a little ways first," Mr. Weasley said. "If people kept Apparating right in front of Headquarters, it would draw attention to that location, so we appear at other locations around town and walk to Headquarters from there."

While they walked, Hermione asked Kakashi many questions about the world he came from. The girl had an insatiable thirst for knowledge that reminded Kakashi of Sakura. She was enthralled by his tales of the world of ninja, and speculated at length about the similarities and differences between her world's magical energy and the chakra of Kakashi's world. Kakashi had a question of his own, one that had been lurking in the back of his mind since Hermione had first explained Horcruxes to him. "These…Horcruxes…they could be any object?"

"Yes, although presumably the maker would choose objects of particular significance to him. Voldemort, for example, has always had a fascination with Hogwarts's history, which is why we believe he chose objects that once belonged to the four founders of the school."

Kakashi nodded. "And the maker absolutely can't be killed unless the Horcrux is destroyed? He could even survive, say, decapitation?"

"Yes, that's what makes it such a powerful spell."

"I wonder, could a jutsu analogous to the Horcrux spell exist in my world?"

"Possibly, but only a really evil person would use it. Why do you ask? Do you think someone in your world is going to try it?"

"Worse, I think someone already has." Kakashi filed this information away in his mind, making a mental note to tell Shikamaru about it.

He had been so absorbed in his conversation with Hermione that he didn't notice Mr. Weasley stopping suddenly, and ran right into him. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

"Shh…" Mr. Weasley scanned the darkness ahead intently. "Did you guys feel that? It's suddenly gotten colder." Indeed, although it was a warm summer night, Kakashi found himself shivering.

"I don't feel so good…" Ron whispered. "I feel so sad…"

"Dementors!" Harry gasped. "Ron, Hermione, get ready to perform the Patronus charm! And protect Mr. Hatake!"

"What's a Dementor?" Kakashi asked. But then one glided out of the fog ahead of them, and he found out what it was the hard way.

_His father lay curled on the kitchen floor, a katana driven through his stomach. His father's hands still gripped the hilt of the weapon with which he had committed suicide…_

_Obito looked up at him mournfully, the right side of his body crushed by boulders. "Please…" Obito lifted Rin's hand and placed it over his left eye, while Kakashi's own left eye throbbed with pain…_

_White-hot agony flared as the katana pierced his side yet again. He looked down into whirling Sharingan eyes and heard a cold voice say, "71 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds left"…_

_Shikamaru walked through the gates of Konoha, carrying a body in his arms. Although Raidou's cloak concealed the corpse's face, Kakashi knew who it was…_

"Mr. Hatake! Mr. Hatake, are you alright?" Hermione was shaking him. He was laying on the ground, shivering more than ever. "Oh, blast it, where is that Chocolate Frog?" The bushy-haired girl pulled a small piece of chocolate shaped like a frog out of her pocket and handed it to Kakashi. "Here, this will make you feel better." Kakashi ate the chocolate and found that his shivering was subsiding.

"What are those things?"

"They're Dementors—evil creatures that feed on pain and suffering. They force you to relive your worst memories. The only way to protect yourself from them is by using the Patronus Charm. When you summon a happy memory and speak the incantation '_Expecto Patronum_,' it creates a spirit of positive energy that drives the Dementors away." She pointed, and Kakashi saw a silvery, glowing stag driving the Dementor back. "That's Harry's Patronus."

The Dementor was a truly hideous creature. It seemed to glide a few inches off the ground, and most of its body was covered by a long, filthy-looking cloak. The only part of its body that was visible was the hands, and these were grayish and appeared to be in a state of decay.

Harry's Patronus seemed to have the Dementor on the retreat, but more of the foul apparitions approached through the fog. "_Ex-ex-expecto Patronum!_" Ron stammered, and a large bear shuffled towards the new arrivals. Hermione repeated the incantation, and an otter joined the other two Patronuses. Soon the Dementors vanished back into the fog, hissing in disappointment. The various Patronuses disappeared immediately after.

"Does this mean that Voldemort's forces have discovered the location of your Headquarters?" Kakashi asked apprehensively.

"No," Mrs. Weasley answered. "Since the Dementors joined Voldemort, they've been attacking random people—both wizards and Muggles—with increasing frequency. They may have been attracted to such a large group of humans, but I doubt that they knew specifically who we are or why we're here."

The Weasleys led the group across the soccer field, down a couple of streets, and across a playground, until they came to a row of shabby-looking houses. "Now," Mrs. Weasley instructed, "think about the words on the paper Ron gave you earlier."

Kakashi concentrated on the words that had been written on that slip of paper. _The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London._ The two houses directly in front of the group moved apart, and a third house popped into existence between them. A plaque on the front read, "NUMBER 12."

"Incredible," Kakashi breathed. He pushed his hitai-ate up and scrutinized the house. Sure enough, it was cloaked by a powerful genjutsu. The paper Ron had given him glowed with a fainter chakra signal of the same type that shrouded the house.

Inside, the house had the air of a place that had long been neglected, but which was now being shown some care. The walls and floor were rough wood, but spotlessly clean. The serpent-shaped chandeliers looked slightly ominous, but they had clearly been polished recently. There were lighter spots on the walls, as though plaques or pictures had recently been taken down. On the right was a huge set of curtains, presumably covering a window.

"Hello, folks!" said a cheery voice. A woman stepped into the hall, sporting a loose-fitting T-shirt and bright pink hair. She bounded over to the group and thrust a hand out towards Kakashi. "My name's Nymphadora Tonks. McGonagall told us to expect you. How do you like the wizarding world so far?"

"It's…different, but fascinating."

"Well, you'll get used to it soon enough." She clapped a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, than turned her attention to the rest of the group. "Arthur, Molly, nice to see you. And you three kids are welcome here anytime, of course." As she tried to move through the group, Tonks tripped over something (perhaps only her own feet), and clutched one of the nearby curtains for balance.

The curtains flew open, revealing not a window, but a portrait of a stunningly ugly woman. "HOW DARE YOU! MUDBLOODS AND MUGGLE-LOVERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK! IF MY ANCESTORS COULD SEE THIS, THEY'D…" Kakashi blinked. _A talking portrait? And not a very pleasant one…_

"I'm sorry!" wailed Tonks.

"I wish we could find a way to get around that Permanent Sticking Charm," Mrs. Weasley lamented.

Kakashi marched up to the portrait, pushed up his hitai-ate once again, and fixed the portrait with a red-eyed gaze. The portrait itself had chakra, almost like a shadow of human consciousness. Allowing the three tomoes of the Sharingan to begin whirling, he reached into that chakra and implanted a hypnotic command: _Be quiet!_

"I…what…" Mrs. Black stuttered, then fell silent.

"What did you do?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"I hypnotized her."

"You…hypnotized a painting?" Ron asked skeptically.

"Well," Hermione said contemplatively, "if the portrait contains some remnant of Mrs. Black's personality and mind, it makes sense that mind-affecting spells could…" Hermione continued speculating, while Mrs. Weasley led Kakashi into the kitchen to meet some of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. He met Alastor Moody, a heavily scarred man with one artificial eye; Kingsley Shacklebolt, a dark-skinned young man who tracked Dark wizards for the Ministry of Magic; and Remus Lupin, a sickly-looking man whose face lit up at the sight of Tonks.

"Minerva's filled us in on your situation," Remus said in a quiet voice. "At this point, we know that Voldemort originally made six Horcruxes, of which three have been destroyed. We believe that the Cup of Tears is one of the remaining three."

"Do you have any ideas about where it might be?" inquired Kakashi.

"Well," Alastor said gruffly, "we suspect that since Voldemort regained his body, he has been setting up secure locations in which to store his remaining Horcruxes. We've intercepted Death Eater communications referring to three 'Objects,' which they've been taking great pains to guard. One of these is most likely your Cup."

"The problem," Remus resumed, "is that we don't know which Object is the Cup. We're going to need a little more time to figure that out."

"In the meantime," Mrs. Weasley said kindly, "you're more than welcome to stay here."

* * *

Over the next week, Kakashi spent a great deal of time with both the Order members and the inseparable trio that was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He quickly found himself growing fond of the young wizards, perhaps because they reminded him of his own students. Hermione's remarkable intellect and enthusiasm for learning new things were reminiscent of Sakura. Ron's irrepressible cheerfulness reminded him strongly of Naruto. And Harry…there was an intangible aura about him that spoke of a person who had survived tragedy and adversity, and become stronger for the experience. Kakashi was reminded almost painfully of Sasuke, his most promising student.

"Is something wrong?" Kakashi was startled out of his reverie, and looked down to see Hermione standing before him.

"Er…no…no, I was just lost in thought." He gave her a reassuring smile through his mask.

"Oh…well anyway, I was saying that if you want, I could try to teach you the Patronus Charm. The Dementors are working for Voldemort now, so when we go after the Cup, it's very likely that we'll encounter more of them."

After watching Hermione perform the charm with his Sharingan activated, Kakashi found that it was fairly easy to mold his chakra into the form that Hermione's magical energy took when she called out the incantation and waved her wand in a particular way. Keeping a happy memory firmly in the forefront of his mind was the hardest part. Hermione was astonished that he could perform the charm without a wand. "Wandless magic is really hard; I can do the Shield Charm without a wand but that's about all."

In addition to teaching him the Patronus Charm, Hermione also lent him several books about the wizarding world, including _Hogwarts, A History_ and _Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them_. In return, Kakashi showed the three students Henge no Jutsu ("Wish we'd known that back in our second year; would have saved us from having to drink that awful Polyjuice gunk," Ron commented) and Bunshin no Jutsu.

Eight days after he arrived at Grimmauld Place, Kakashi was summoned to the dining room by a very excited Tonks. "The Ministry captured a Death Eater the other day, and they questioned him with Veritaserum. Some of the information they got from the guy points to the location of that Cup you've been looking for!"

* * *

**A/N: **And so, Kakashi meets the Order of the Phoenix. A couple of quick notes: the bit where Kakashi asks Hermione about the Horcruxes and reminds himself to tell Shikamaru about them when he gets back was inspired by a theory I read somewhere (probably on NF) about the source of Hidan's immortality. A few people were speculating that he might have sealed his soul into an object, such as his scythe, and couldn't be killed unless that object was destroyed. Naturally, that reminded me of the Horcruxes, so I sort of hinted at there being an analogous jutsu to that spell here. That also sort of establishes exactly when this story occurs: it takes place in the time between Asuma's death and Team 10+Kakashi setting out to take down Hidan and Kakuzu. I think that interval was only a few days in the Narutoverse, whereas Kakashi has been in HP-verse for over a week, but I figure time wouldn't necessarily move at the same rate in different dimensions.

Also, I'm not planning to have Kakashi learn tons of HP spells, or to have Harry and friends learn jutsus. The Patronus Charm will be the only spell that Kakashi learns, and Bunshin and Henge will be the only jutsus that the HP trio learn.

Finally, I know this story has been a lot of talking so far, aside from the brief encounter with the Dementors. There will be more action in the remaining chapters, since of course Voldemort won't let them get the Cup without a fight.

Many thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far!


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: Malfoy Manor_

"When the Death Eater was questioned, he revealed that one of the Horcruxes is being stored in the manor house belonging to the Malfoy family," Tonks explained. "He referred to it as 'Hufflepuff's artifact,' and we know that the Cup was once owned by Helga Hufflepuff."

"So the Cup of Tears is in this Malfoy person's home?" Kakashi asked. "It shouldn't be too hard for me to steal it. Acquiring objects like scrolls and artifacts is a pretty standard shinobi mission."

"But," Harry broke in, "the Cup is probably guarded, and you don't know much about the spells or creatures of this world. Plus, the last Horcrux we went after could only be retrieved by two people working together. What if you get to the Cup, only to find out that the same thing is true in this case?"

Kakashi nodded. "You have a good point. Why don't we work together to steal the Cup? I'll use it to go home, and you can destroy it after I'm gone."

"When are you planning to go to Malfoy Manor?" asked Remus.

"I think I've found a way to destroy the Horcrux, but I need a bit more time to work out the details," said Hermione. "A week should be long enough."

"Right, we'll leave in a week then," said Harry decisively.

* * *

"Well, you see, Lucius Malfoy is in Azkaban—that's the wizard prison—and we don't really know much about where his wife and son are, but apparently the Death Eaters are still using his home as one of their bases." Remus and Kakashi were sitting around the kitchen table with the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, eating an excellent beef stew cooked by Molly Weasley. Kakashi was drinking something called "gillywater" with his meal, but Remus was sipping from a large mug of something that steamed and gave off an odor like a wet dog. Each time he took a drink from the mug, Remus grimaced. Kakashi wondered why he would drink the stuff if he so obviously disliked it, but didn't ask.

That evening, he sat in his room, paging through a copy of _Hidden Menaces: Dark Creatures and How to Defeat Them_ that Hermione had lent him. Frowning at one entry, he left his room and knocked on the door next to his. "Remus? I have a question about these 'Inferi'." There was no response, but he heard something moving on the other side of the door. It didn't sound like a man walking around his room. There was a shuffling quality to it. "Remus?" Again, no direct response, but now Kakashi thought he heard something coming from within the room that sounded like a whimper. "Remus?" Kakashi said more urgently, and pounded on the door.

No answer, except for more of that strange shuffling sound. Kakashi was getting worried now, and twisted the doorknob. It didn't budge. Kakashi thought for a moment, then extended a slender chakra scalpel from his right index finger. He slipped the chakra scalpel into the lock, easing it between the tumblers until he felt the lock release.

The door swung open…and Kakashi saw that the only occupant of the room was a large, gray wolf. It lay curled in the center of the room, and raised its head as Kakashi walked in. _What is this? A summoned animal? But if so, where's Remus? And why would he summon a wolf into his room? _Another, more sinister, possibility entered his mind. _Hidden Menaces_ had described a particularly fearsome Dark creature called a werewolf. These were men who took on the form of a wolf at the full moon, and hunted under that moon for human flesh. Anyone bitten by a werewolf was doomed to share their curse. _But how would such a creature get inside this place undetected?_ It didn't seem to make sense. All Kakashi knew for sure was that Remus Lupin was supposed to be here, but he wasn't, and this strange creature was here in his place. Keeping a close eye on the wolf in case it decided to attack, Kakashi called out for help. Within a few seconds, Mrs. Weasley, Mad-Eye Moody, and Hermione had Apparated at his side.

"I came to ask Remus a question, and found this here instead of him," Kakashi explained. "Is it dangerous?"

The witches and wizard looked at each other, and finally Mrs. Weasley said, "Mr. Hatake, that _is_ Remus Lupin. He's a werewolf."

Kakashi immediately tensed and began forming battle plans in his mind. "But I thought they were Dark creatures, in league with You-Know-Who." He had learned that, although Harry and Hermione were willing to call Voldemort by name, most others were uncomfortable with that. He didn't understand why—however terrible Voldemort might be, simply saying his _name_ couldn't hurt anyone—but he respected it.

Hermione shook her head. "Some are, but not all. Professor Lupin doesn't wish to harm anyone. You've probably noticed him drinking a rather foul-smelling potion at mealtimes?" When Kakashi nodded, she continued, "That's Wolfsbane Potion. It can't cure lycanthropy, but it does allow the afflicted person to turn into an ordinary wolf during the full moon, rather than a true werewolf."

Kakashi looked back at the wolf, which nodded at him and seemed to smile wanly. "Er…I'm sorry for disturbing you, Remus." Kakashi slowly closed the door and turned back to the wizards. "I really am sorry about that. I guess there's still a lot I don't know about your world."

Later, Hermione told him that most wizards hated and feared werewolves, treating _all_ of them as dangerous feral beasts regardless of whether or not the individual werewolf in question was dangerous. "The Wolfsbane Potion allows most werewolves to maintain self-control during their transformations, but most people still act like they're just mindless killers. It's really unfair, and it's the reason Professor Lupin has so much trouble finding work."

Kakashi gave her a thoughtful look. _The prejudice she's describing is the same as the impulse that made so many people treat Naruto-kun like a monster. _Out loud, he only said, "Sometimes, people pay more attention to _what_ someone is than to _who _they are. In that way, your world and mine are the same."

* * *

As soon as Hermione had finished refining her method for destroying the Horcrux, a small group set out for Malfoy Manor. In addition to Kakashi, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, Mad-Eye Moody and Remus (who had returned to his usual self now that the full moon was over) went on the expedition.

"How many Death Eaters do you expect to be guarding the Horcrux?" Kakashi inquired.

"We don't know, exactly," Moody responded gruffly. "If Dumbledore was correct—and he usually was—there are three Horcruxes left. The Death Eaters will be split up between the locations of all three, plus whatever tasks You-Know-Who has them doing."

"And you can bet that it won't be just humans guarding the Horcruxes," Harry cautioned. "There'll probably be some Dark creatures too."

The Malfoy estate included not only the manor house itself, but a large lawn and gardens, plus a detached garage. The party of wizards and one ninja crept towards the stately house through the back gardens, hiding in the mists that shrouded the entire grounds. Kakashi channeled a thin layer of chakra to the soles of his feet, providing a cushion between them and the ground so that he didn't crack any twigs or dislodge any stones. A chill seeped through his green jounin vest, making him shiver. Something about the chill seemed unnatural, somehow unlike ordinary cold weather. Kakashi remembered feeling something similar a couple of weeks before…

"Dementors!" he hissed as three of the disgusting creatures swept out of the shadows. Once again, he heard the voices at the edges of his consciousness—his father's last words, Shikamaru's description of the battle that had claimed Asuma's life. The edges of his vision started to turn red and black, as the Dementors tried to force him to relive his torture at Itachi's hands. But this time, Kakashi pushed the memories away and summoned a different recollection: his pride at seeing Naruto defeat Hyuuga Neji in the Chuunin Exam finals. "_Expecto Patronum!"_ he called, molding his chakra in the precise pattern necessary to complete the charm.

A blast of light flew from Kakashi's outstretched hand and resolved itself into the form of a huge wolf, like the nin-dogs that he summoned, but much larger. It wore a Konoha hitai-ate around its neck, and it charged the Dementors, growling fiercely. It was soon joined by Hermione's otter, Ron's bear, Harry's stag, and another wolf (this one without a hitai-ate) from Remus. The collection of Patronuses clawed and bit at the Dementors, which shrank away from the light that the Patronuses emitted. Two of the Dementors disappeared back into the fog, but the third was encircled by the Patronuses. Those glowing spirits slashed at it with their teeth, claws, and (in the case of Harry's) horns. The Dementor made an eerie keening sound, and seemed to shrink, becoming shorter and shorter. Finally, it had disappeared entirely, leaving only its rotted, torn robes behind.

"Did that…did that Dementor _die_?" Ron sounded shocked, and Kakashi guessed that what they had just witnessed was not a normal occurrence.

Moody nodded. "A sufficiently powerful Patronus can kill a Dementor if it manages to corner the foul thing. Usually the Dementor will just slink away rather than risk its life, but that one had nowhere to go."

* * *

The group continued to approach the manor, keeping an eye out for guards, human or otherwise. At the back of the grand residence was a greenhouse filled with thriving plants. "Be careful in here," Moody warned. "Given that this is a Death Eater base, you can expect Venomous Tentaculas, Venus Man-traps, and other dangerous plants. And for the love of all that's holy, don't uproot any Mandrakes." He scrutinized the door of the greenhouse with his magical eye, and gestured to the others to stand back. Kakashi pushed up his hitai-ate, and saw a complex pattern of chakra covering the door like layers of cobweb. _Clearly a trap of some sort._ He watched as Moody waved his wand in an intricate pattern, muttering an incantation under his breath. With each twitch of his wand, a few of the lines of chakra covering the door disappeared, until it was finally clear.

"What would that trap have done?" he asked.

Moody gave him a very serious look. "You don't want to know." Taking the lead, Moody pushed open the door, and the others followed him inside. The air in the greenhouse was thick and steamy, and there were so many plants that it was impossible to see very far. Kakashi was surprised to notice that many of the plants there seemed to have more chakra than a plant should have. The reason for this was made obvious when a rat scurried across the floor near one of the plants. A tendril swooped down and snatched up the rodent, drawing it into the mass of leaves and flowers at the plant's center. Another plant looked like the largest Venus Fly-trap he'd ever seen. Remembering Moody's mention of Venus _Man_-traps, he steered clear of it.

Deeper in the greenhouse were groves of small trees. Something rustled in their upper branches, and Kakashi detected several chakra signatures. "Moody…" he whispered, pointing upward.

Moody squinted in the same direction. "Everyone else, stay back. Remus, Kakashi, and I will handle them."

"Handle what?" Ron asked nervously. "What's up there?"

"Harpies."

There was a furious screech, and something dove out of the trees toward the group of humans. It had the body of an eagle, with wickedly curved talons. The head, however, was that of a woman, with teeth as sharp as kunai. Several others followed it, all screaming and clearly intent on tearing the wizards and ninja apart.

"Fire Element: Mythical Fire Flower!" Kakashi breathed several small bursts of fire, targeting each at a different harpy. The strange creatures screeched louder as the flames burned them. One fell to the ground and lay unmoving, while another soared back up into the trees. The remaining three, however, seemed more furious than ever. Two of them turned on Remus, trying to rip his head off with their cruel claws. "_Reducto!_" shouted Moody, and the harpies were blasted away from Remus, giving him time to hit them with a Petrificus Totalus.

The last remaining harpy had apparently decided to go after what it believed to be weaker prey, and was darting towards Hermione. "_Incarcerous!_" she cried, and the harpy became entangled in the thick ropes that sprang out of her wand.

"Well, if that fight didn't alert everyone in the manor to our presence, nothing will," said Moody. "If no one's hurt, we'd better get moving."

* * *

Past the grove of trees was another door, this one appearing to lead into the main part of the manor house. Naturally, this one carried a nasty curse too, and this time it was Remus who countered it to allow them safe passage. Beyond lay a dimly lit corridor. The floor was covered with a thick carpet, and the diffuse light was cast by ornate candelabras hanging from the ceiling. The walls were paneled in a rich, dark wood. Despite the opulence of the place, an unpleasant smell of decay hung in the air. Doors were placed at intervals along the walls. Unlike the outer doors, these were not protected by traps. Moody used his magical eye to see through them, confirming that neither enemies nor the Cup lay beyond any of them.

As they proceeded methodically through the halls, the scent of rotting meat grew stronger. Ron and Hermione both had a distinctly greenish tinge to their faces, and Remus's nose was wrinkled in disgust.

The hallway they were currently moving through opened onto an opulent entrance hall. A marble floor, elegant chandelier, grand staircase, and huge oak double-doors—the front doors of the mansion—did nothing to alleviate the horror that Kakashi felt as he gazed upon the things that shambled around the entrance hall. "Edo Tensei," he breathed.

"No," Harry corrected. "They're called Inferi."

* * *

**A/N:** It has come to my attention that an author named Yarochisai came up with the idea of having characters from the Narutoverse get transported to another setting via the Mangekyou Sharingan before I did. I wasn't aware of that when I started writing this fic, but now that I _do_ know, I just wanted to make it clear that that particular plot point didn't originate with me.

Sorry this update took so long! I've been really busy with school lately, and on top of that I got another story idea, with the result that I'm now about ¼ of the way through a SasoDei one-shot. (Seriously, if the muses from Greek mythology were real, my muse would show up wearing an Akatsuki cloak.) But now the real action is starting, and I've already started writing Chapter 5.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far!


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5: Facing Fears_

Kakashi could be forgiven for thinking that the beings before him had been resurrected by the Edo Tensei kinjutsu. They certainly _looked_ like dead things that had been brought back to some semblance of life. Their skin was grey and their eyes blank, and they were the source of the putrid smell that everyone had noticed earlier. In many cases, they still bore the wounds that had killed them. Some had been lacerated, some burned, some strangled—whether physically or magically, Kakashi couldn't tell—but all had died violently.

The Inferi seemed to register their presence then, and shuffled as one towards the group. "Inferi are afraid of fire," Harry informed them.

"Stand back," Kakashi warned his comrades. "I should be able to take care of most of them." He pulled chakra into his lungs, imbuing it with the elemental nature of fire. Then he leaned forward, and expelled the chakra forcefully from his mouth. A great ball of flame swept over the Inferi, burning many of them and driving the uninjured ones back.

Once the fire died away, the other Inferi redoubled their assault, as though excited by the smell of burning flesh. Kakashi blew another fireball at them, and more flames erupted as Harry and Hermione cried, "_Incendio!_"

Having once been in ANBU, Kakashi had a few friends from Konoha's covert operations force. One of them had told him how Orochimaru had summoned the souls of the First and Second Hokages to fight Sandaime during the invasion of Konoha. Kakashi himself had been too busy fighting off squads of Sound ninja to watch the battle taking place inside the barrier atop the Chuunin Exam arena, but his ANBU friend had described it to him. He and his team had only been able to watch helplessly as Orochimaru pulled the First and Second away from their rightful place in the afterlife and forced them to fight their old pupil. Kakashi had been enraged to hear of such desecration, and he felt the same sick feeling in the pit of his stomach now. Bad enough that Voldemort and his cronies had probably killed most of these people…but to defile their bodies, disregarding the fact that they had once been human beings, was almost as horrible.

Finally, most of the Inferi were incapacitated or killed, and the team proceeded up the staircase to the upper floor of the mansion. The décor here was much the same as it had been on the lower floor: rich and opulent, although now without the stench of decay to mar it. Moody confirmed that each door they passed led into a bedroom or sitting room with no sign of powerful magic objects.

Finally, they came to a narrow door that looked like it belonged to a closet. Moody paused outside this door and paced back and forth, peering at it from every angle. "I don't get it," he said in his rough voice. "I can't see a damn thing past that door."

"But…but I thought your eye could see through _anything_," Ron piped up.

"It can, lad. That's what has me worried."

"Let me take a look," Kakashi said, uncovering his left eye. The three satellite pupils of his Sharingan spun as he stared at the door. "There's no illusion spell cast on this door," he said. "But there's something else. In my world, we'd call it a ninjutsu. It's as if this door leads to _two _different places—one is a large room with a pedestal in the center, and the other looks like a dungeon."

"It's a Split Doorway!" Hermione exclaimed.

"A what?" Ron and Harry squinted at Hermione in confusion.

"Don't you remember? Professor Flitwick talked about them in Charms last year! It's a very powerful enchantment that you can put on the door to a room that you want to keep other people out of. Basically, every time the door is opened, it randomly selects one of two locations to open onto. I think that's the magic the Room of Requirement is based on, although that room obviously has more than two destinations and the selection isn't random."

"Well, if that's the case," Remus suggested, "couldn't we just repeatedly open the door until we get the location we want? Obviously, we don't want to go to the dungeon. But a large room with a pedestal in the center sounds like a possible location for the Cup."

"Well, I'm seeing something else here, overlaying that enchantment," Kakashi said, so close to the door that his nose was practically touching it. "It almost looks like a specialized form of chakra that's designed to entangle anyone who opens the door."

"So, whichever place the door leads to when it's opened, the person holding the doorknob is forced to go there," Remus mused. "That means we have to get the right place on the first try."

"If we could observe the door in operation a few times, we might be able to figure out a way to manipulate it," Kakashi proposed.

"Yes, but we don't want any of us to end up in the dungeon," Hermione protested.

"I think I may have a way around that," Kakashi answered. Bringing his hands together in a characteristic seal, he declared, "Shadow Clone Technique!" Suddenly, there were five Kakashis standing in the hallway along with the wizards. The real Kakashi stepped back, and one of the clones opened the door. The door flew open, and the clone was sucked through it. As the door closed behind him, the assembled group got a glimpse of a dimly lit stone chamber beyond.

"The door seems to pull the person through and then close behind them automatically," Harry observed.

The second clone opened the door, and this time, the room beyond was brightly lit, with a large pedestal visible in the center. "That's the room we want," said Moody.

"Each time the door opened, there was a burst of chakra," Kakashi said. "The quality of the chakra was different for the two locations."

"So how do we get through, and make sure that we end up in the right place?" asked Ron.

"I have an idea," Kakashi said. His third clone opened the door once more, and the room beyond it was once again the large room with the platform in the middle. As the door started to close, the fourth clone rushed forward and struggled to keep it open. "Everyone, run through now!" the real Kakashi shouted. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Remus dashed through as Kakashi's clone continued to wrestle with the door. Before Kakashi and Moody could hurry through, it became clear that the clone was losing the fight.

"Kakashi, you need to get to the Cup, I don't! Go!" Moody rushed forward and helped the clone to pry the door open. "GO!"

Kakashi obeyed, waving his hand in a gesture of thanks as the door slammed closed behind him.

* * *

The room was huge. The floor and walls were solid stone, and candles floated in midair to provide light. The pedestal in the center glowed with its own light. "Are you all right?" Kakashi asked the four wizards.

"Yes. Where's Moody?" Remus sounded worried.

"He stayed behind to keep the door open."

"That's not good. Who knows how many Death Eaters are in this place?" Harry said.

"All the more reason to find the Cup quickly," Hermione replied. "Once we've sent Kakashi home and destroyed it, we can go back and help Moody."

"The Cup must be over there," Ron said, pointing to the podium.

All five approached the plinth, but to their surprise, the object displayed upon it was not the Cup. Instead, it was a small golden key.

"It must go to that door," said Hermione. She gestured to the far side of the room, and they saw that there was indeed a door there. It was plain, and also made of stone.

"Without Moody, we have no idea what's behind it," Remus cautioned. "Kakashi, can you see anything?"

"I don't see any ninjutsu or genjutsu active on the door itself, but there's a powerful source of chakra behind it—I can sense it easily."

"A Death Eater?" Ron asked anxiously.

"I don't think so. It doesn't feel like human chakra."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," said Harry firmly, lifting the key from the pedestal and approaching the door. He fit the key into the lock and turned it, pulling the door open.

Kakashi stepped through the door ahead of the others…and stopped dead in his tracks.

The door opened onto a long, narrow hallway. Standing squarely in the middle of that corridor was Sasuke.

* * *

He was just as Naruto and Sakura had described him after their mission with Yamato and Sai. He was taller, and over his pants he wore a white tunic that exposed most of his chest. Tied around the waist of the tunic was a belt made of purple rope. A sheathed straight sword was secured in the back of the belt. His hair was still short and jet black, and stuck up in the back as it always had. The main change to his appearance was in his face. His expression was blank and emotionless, and his ebony eyes seemed dead.

Then Sasuke smiled. It wasn't the confident smirk that Kakashi remembered. It was a wide grin that radiated contempt. "Hello, _Sensei_," Sasuke said, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the second word.

Kakashi had drawn a kunai, in case the chakra signature he had sensed beyond the door was an enemy. Now he gripped that weapon so tightly that his hand ached. The voice that had just spoken was not Sasuke's.

It was Orochimaru's.

Now Sasuke's eyes changed, and they were neither the normal deep black nor the Sharingan-induced crimson. Instead, they were amber-colored, with vertical pupils like a snake's. "What's wrong, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked mockingly. "Aren't you pleased to see your old student again?"

Kakashi swallowed hard. _It's not real; it can't be, _he reminded himself. _It's some sort of genjutsu._ The three satellite pupils of Kakashi's Sharingan spun as he pierced through the illusion. _Just as I thought—this is some sort of creature that uses an illusion to upset its enemies._

A moment later, Ron confirmed Kakashi's deduction. "It's not real, Kakashi! That's a boggart. It's a Dark creature that takes on the shape of whatever the person who confronts it fears most."

Kakashi glared at the boggart, and spoke in a firm, confident voice. "You don't frighten me. Go away."

Sasuke's expression faltered, and he seemed unsure of himself. Then his image seemed to waver, like a mirage in the desert. For a moment, only a formless gray mass blocked the hallway. Then, another horrific vision confronted Kakashi.

Naruto lay flat on his back on the floor. His body was consumed by a brilliant red energy that flowed and pulsed over his limbs. The energy seemed to gradually lift from his body, spinning above him in a chaotic whirl. "Kakashi-sensei…help me…the Akatsuki…the Kyuubi…"

Again, Kakashi strove to master his emotions. "You are not real," he told the boggart. "You cannot fool me with your illusions." He threw the kunai in his hand at Naruto, but it seemed to pass right through him.

"You can't get rid of a boggart that way," Ron informed him. "There's only one way to make them disappear." Ron stepped past Kakashi, and the boggart instantly changed its shape. Now Naruto was gone, and in his place was an enormous spider. Its huge hairy body filled the corridor, and eight red eyes glared malevolently at the group.

Ron trembled, but he raised his wand and declared, "_Riddikulus!_" Shiny black shoes appeared on each of the spider's eight feet. It jerked and bounced, executing what was unmistakably an eight-legged tap dance. Hermione was the first to release a tentative giggle, followed by Harry, Ron, and Remus. Kakashi had to admit that the image was amusing, in a bizarre sort of way, and smirked behind his mask. _They've taken control of its illusion somehow. And in so doing, they've taken away its power to cause fear._ The others' laughter was growing louder, and the spider vanished in a puff of smoke.

"That should have finished it off," said Remus. "Let's go." Proceeding to the other end of the corridor, they found themselves at another door. Kakashi confirmed that no spells had been cast on it, and they went through.

The room beyond was much smaller than the grand chamber in which they had found the key. It was a simple stone room, with light provided by flickering torches. In the center of the room was a rough wooden table, and on the table was an elegant golden cup. There were two curved handles on the cup, and a badger had been delicately carved into one side.

"The Cup of Tears," Remus breathed.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this update took so long—I've been pretty busy with school lately, plus another Akatsuki plot bunny has started gnawing at my brain. Anyway, this should be the second-to-last chapter.

Thanks to all who've reviewed so far!


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6: Homeward Bound_

"All right," Hermione said in a brisk voice, "let's fill the cup with water. Kakashi, you'll need to concentrate with all your mind on your home. You must think of nothing else, or the enchantment won't inactivate."

"Hold on," cautioned Remus. "We can't just go snatching the Cup. There may still be powerful enchantments protecting the Cup. Just because this room is simple and humble doesn't mean it's not carefully guarded. We don't want to set off any traps."

"Oh, it's far too late for that," said a mocking voice behind them.

The group whirled as one, and found themselves facing a man and woman in black robes. The woman had sleek black hair and deep-set eyes that gave her a permanently brooding look. The man was large and broad-shouldered, and when he grinned he showed unnaturally pointed teeth.

"Did you really think the Dark Lord would allow intruders to waltz into the vault of one of his most precious treasures? The instant you entered this room, we were alerted." The woman sneered at them, and Kakashi saw Harry's fists clench in anger.

"Who are they?" he asked.

" 'Who are they?'" the woman asked, mimicking the accent in Kakashi's voice. "You mean you do not know the names of the Dark Lord's most faithful servants, his most devoted subordinates…"

"Oh, stop babbling and let's just kill them already," the man said roughly, cutting her off.

"Oh, but look!" the woman exclaimed in a delighted tone. "Look who's here! The Boy Who Lived! He must think very highly of himself, to wander so boldly into the Dark Lord's stronghold! Perhaps we should teach him a little humility."

"_The Boy Who Lived?"_ Kakashi was puzzled. _Which one are they talking about, Ron or Harry? And why do they call him that? Anyone who's still alive is obviously a "Person Who Lived."_

"Ah, but you're a little behind the times, Bellatrix," said the man, lifting a finger as if to point something out. "He has a new nickname now. Now he's 'The Chosen One.' Can you believe some idiots actually think that he's destined to defeat the Dark Lord? Just because he survived a curse by sheer dumb luck. 'The Boy Who Was Too Stupid To Die When Told To Do So,' that's what they should call him."

"Shut up!" Harry yelled, pulling out his wand.

"Oh, is little Harry still upset about his precious teacher dying? Is he still pining after Dumby-Wumby?" The woman known as Bellatrix was now using a cloying, sickly-sweet voice, as though she were speaking to a two-year-old.

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared, and waved his wand downward in a slashing motion. "_SECTUMSEMPRA!_" Kakashi detected a flash of chakra, and a deep vertical cut appeared on the woman's chest, as though Harry had slashed her with a katana.

"Why you little bastard!" screamed Bellatrix, clearly incensed. "I'll teach you what happens to those who cross the Dark Lord and his servants! _Crucio!_"

A wave of chakra, invisible to the naked eye, swept out from the tip of Bellatrix's wand, moving directly towards Harry. Thinking quickly, Kakashi shoved him out of the way, then began to form hand seals as the chakra continued to advance. When it was almost upon him, he released his jutsu. _Kawarimi!_

Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing next to Hermione. Meanwhile, chakra writhed around the log he had left in his place.

"Now, now, don't forget about me," chided the man. A sick smile lit up his face as he registered Remus's presence. "Why, Remus, my old friend! How nice of you to pay me a visit. I think I'll enjoy killing you—after all, I already know how your flesh tastes…"

_What did he say?!_ Kakashi turned towards Remus, who seemed to be struggling with some overwhelming emotion. "Remus, who is this man? Have you fought him before?"

"You could say that," Remus said tightly. "This is Fenrir Greyback. He's the werewolf who bit me, many years ago when I was a child."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. _The full moon is over, so he won't be able to transform. Still, he could be a dangerous enemy…_

Greyback's grin widened, and he brandished his wand. "_Incarcerous!_" Thick ropes sprang from the end of the wand and slithered across the room, aiming for Remus. Kakashi reached into the pouch at his hip and pulled out a pair of kunai, using them to cut through the ropes. "Earth Element: Earth's Knives Technique!" Thin spikes extruded themselves from the stone floor underneath Greyback, and he was forced to jump back to avoid being impaled. He couldn't completely avoid the spikes though, and one of them cut deeply into his left leg.

"You bastard!" Greyback yelled in rage. Then he did something Kakashi hadn't expected: forsaking the use of his wand, he charged directly at the gray-haired ninja. He aimed a vicious punch at Kakashi's head, which Kakashi dodged easily. Greyback bared his teeth and swiped at Kakashi with nails that, like his teeth, had been filed to sharp points.

"We've got to do something!" Kakashi heard Hermione shout.

"We can't!" Ron replied. "They're too close to each other; any spell we aim at Greyback might hit Kakashi."

Kakashi dodged another punch from Greyback, but this time, the Death Eater opened his fist as it passed close by Kakashi's face, raking the ninja's cheek with his nails. Kakashi staggered back and quickly formed a series of hand seals. "Earth Element: Liquid Ground Technique!" The floor under Greyback underwent another transformation—but this time, instead of forming spikes, it simply began to melt. Greyback began to sink into the ooze of liquid stone, but he struggled frantically to free himself.

"Wait a minute," Ron whispered to Remus. "What's going on? Why is Greyback thrashing around like that? What did Kakashi do to him?" From his point of view, all Kakashi had done was to give Greyback an odd sort of look, and he thought that maybe the satellite pupils in Kakashi's red eye had started spinning. And now Greyback was waving his arms and staring at the ground in horror, as though something was terribly wrong down there.

"I don't know," Remus responded, "but let's take advantage of it." For some reason, Greyback wasn't advancing on Kakashi, who was slowly backing away. Remus raised his wand. "_Reducto!_" Greyback was lifted off his feet by the spell and thrown into a nearby wall, knocking him unconscious.

Kakashi nodded grimly. His genjutsu had succeeded in distracting Greyback long enough for Remus to incapacitate him, but they still had Bellatrix to deal with. With an evil cackle, Bellatrix waved her wand in a graceful, fluid motion. "_Serpentsortia!_" A huge python erupted from the tip of her wand and made a beeline for Ron. "_Im-Impedimenta!_" he called, but the snake dodged his spell and engulfed him in its coils.

"Harry, Hermione, help me!" The gigantic serpent reared back, opening its jaws wide in preparation to swallow Ron whole.

"_Conjunctivus!_" Hermione thrust her wand forward in a stabbing motion, and the snake dropped Ron, weaving back and forth furiously. It blinked its eyes, as though it was having trouble seeing. "_Evanesco!_" The Vanishing Charm was perfectly aimed, and the python faded from existence with a distinct popping sound.

"Why you little brats!" Bellatrix screeched. Waving her wand at Hermione, she shouted, "_Crucio!_" Kakashi leapt forward, but Hermione had already performed a Shield Charm, and the curse bounced back at Bellatrix, who dodged it.

Kakashi had noticed that, unlike Greyback, Bellatrix did not seem eager for close combat. "Cover me," he whispered to Remus, and began to dart forward towards Bellatrix. Remus and the others kept her busy countering their spells, until Kakashi was too close to her to fire spells safely. Kakashi swiped at her with a kunai, but she just smiled and flicked her wand. Kakashi felt his kunai hit an invisible barrier a few inches from the witch's body. _She was able to cast a spell without using an incantation?_ While ninjas often stated the names of techniques they were particularly proud of when using them, they didn't have to do so in order to use the jutsu. For wizards, on the other hand, the spoken incantation seemed to be essential. _If she can get around that requirement, she must be unusually talented with magic—this world's version of an S-ranked criminal._

Kakashi rapidly executed a series of hand seals. "Earth Element: Sheltering Ground Technique!" Kakashi sank into the stone floor, disappearing from view.

"Hah! Your friend has fled! The power of the Dark Lord's most faithful servant frightened him off! Why don't you follow him?"

"We're not going to run away! We're going to defeat you and stop Voldemort!"

"Don't you _dare_ say his name, Mudblood!"

"DON'T CALL HER THAT!"

Bellatrix sneered. "Oh, the Boy Who Lived is trying to protect his little friends. How cute. But do you really think you can do it? After all, you couldn't protect your beloved godfather, or precious Dumbledore. The only reason you're even alive is because your mother was stupid enough to sacrifice herself for you!"

Hidden beneath the ground, Kakashi's eyes widened. _Harry's so young, but he's suffered so much at the hands of these "Death Eaters" already._ Harry was glaring at Bellatrix with pure hatred, and Kakashi was reminded again of Sasuke.

"Yes, the reason I'm alive is that my mother sacrificed herself for me," Harry replied in a tone of forced calm. "And because she did that, your master's curse failed and backfired on him. That's why he had to live as a bodiless spirit for so many years, possessing other people's bodies and drinking unicorn blood to stay alive. When a person's trying to protect someone they care about, when they're willing to sacrifice themselves to protect that person, they gain a strength that you people can't possibly understand. Yeah, Sirius and Dumbledore and God knows how many others have died fighting you people…but we will _not _let those sacrifices be in vain. I don't care if people call me 'The Boy Who Lived' or 'The Chosen One'—I don't protect my friends just because that's what other people expect me to do. I do it because it's the right thing to do, and because that's the way I want to live."

Several times, Kakashi had been struck by Harry's resemblance to Sasuke. They had both suffered great tragedies which had spurred them to become stronger, and both were filled with a brooding determination that sometimes threatened to overwhelm them. But now, the young wizard reminded Kakashi of Sasuke's best friend…and of a certain other Uchiha. _"I don't go back on my word! That's my way of the ninja!"… "Those who don't protect their friends are worse than trash!"…_

Kakashi was also surprised by what he'd just learned about Harry's past. _"The Boy Who Lived"… "The Chosen One"…Harry was attacked when he was younger, and his mother sacrificed herself to save him. And somehow, that turned Voldemort's curse back on him, and weakened him._ Like his own students, Harry had experienced significant hardship, but instead of sinking into despair and hopelessness, he had risen above it, and was now trying to change the world for the better.

"He's right!" Ron chimed in. "And the reason we'll win is that we're fighting to protect each other. You people only care about yourselves, you only fight for your own well-being. But we fight for each other, and that makes us stronger than you!"

Bellatrix retorted angrily, and took a few steps forward towards the group of wizards. She stopped right over the spot where Kakashi was hiding. _Perfect. _"Earth Element: Earth Decapitation Technique!" Reaching up through the floor, Kakashi grabbed Bellatrix by the ankles and pulled her down. At the same time, he propelled himself upward. Bellatrix ended up buried in the stone floor up to her neck, with Kakashi standing over her.

"How dare you!" she screeched. "I am the Dark Lord's most trusted servant, and you are nothing more than a filthy Muggle-lover! I will make you suffer for this!" She continued on in this manner for a few minutes, until Hermione got fed up and cast a Silencing Charm. Bellatrix's lips moved as fast as ever, and her facial expression remained furious, but no sound was heard.

* * *

"That was incredible," Ron said, looking at Kakashi in awe. "The way you just imprisoned her in the ground like that…"

Kakashi shook his head. "From what I've seen, the spells of your world are equally powerful. And…it's rare to find children as brave as you three." _If you lived in my world_, he added mentally, _you would make a fine team of shinobi._

Ron beamed at the praise, while Harry and Hermione favored him with more restrained smiles. "Well," Hermione said in a businesslike tone, "let's see what we can do about getting you home, shall we?"

"What about Moody?" Harry asked. "He's still up in the main part of the mansion, and there could be other Death Eaters here."

"Don't you worry about me," a gruff voice admonished. Everyone turned to see Moody entering the room. "When you all didn't come back after a few minutes, I got worried. Thought you might have run into some trouble, so I risked going through the door. Luckily, it sent me to the right place. And it seems like I was right about you running into trouble, although you seem to have sorted it out quite well for yourselves." He looked down at Bellatrix and Greyback as he said this, and they both stared hatefully back at him. "I'd better contact the Ministry—they'll make sure these two get carted off to Azkaban."

Remus, meanwhile, was examining the Cup. "I can't detect any curses or protective spells. Do you see anything, Moody?"

Still facing Bellatrix, Moody replied, "Nope. I guess they figured the Dark creatures and enchantments throughout the rest of the mansion would be enough to keep intruders from getting to the Cup. Hermione, have you worked out that method you mentioned for destroying a Horcrux?"

Hermione nodded briskly. "Yes. Once you understand the principles behind how a Horcrux functions, it's really quite simple."

"In other words, it would only take the rest of us about ten years to learn it," Ron whispered to Harry.

Kakashi slowly approached the table and lifted the Cup. "It's hard to believe that something so small could be so powerful, isn't it?" Remus asked.

Kakashi recalled the mission to the Wave Country, on which both Naruto and Sasuke had unlocked their hidden abilities. Both boys had been mere 13-year-old genin at the time, and yet each possessed an extraordinary power that few others could hope to match. "I don't know," he replied. "Sometimes appearances can be deceiving." He turned to Hermione. "What do I need to do?"

Hermione hurried to Kakashi's side. "First, we need to fill it with water. _Aguamenti!_" Clear water gushed from the tip of Hermione's wand and filled the Cup to the brim. "Now, stare into the Cup and concentrate as hard as you can on your home."

Kakashi held the Cup in both hands and stared into the depths of the water within.

* * *

_The sun rose over the Hokage Monument, with its five faces carved into the stone. The visages of the Hokages watched benevolently over the bustling village. In the yard surrounding the Academy, Konohamaru threw kunais at a target while Udon and Moegi cheered him on. All five kunais hit near the center of the board, and Iruka beamed at his student. _

_Naruto sat on a stool at the Ichiraku ramen stand, consuming a bowl of ramen as though he hadn't eaten in a week. "Oi, Naruto, you shouldn't eat so fast, you'll get a stomachache!" Sakura scolded him._

_Tsunade sat behind her desk, scowling at the mountain of paperwork before her. She looked up as Shizune entered, carrying Ton-ton in her arms. Then she groaned as Shizune deposited yet another set of papers on her desk._

_

* * *

_

Kakashi blinked, feeling a hand on his shoulder. "You've done it!" Hermione exclaimed. Kakashi saw that the image of the Hokage Monument now shimmered in the water filling the Cup.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Pour the water over your head, and you'll be sent back to your home," Hermione explained.

Kakashi looked at the five people surrounding him. Even in this strange world, some things seemed to remain constant. Teachers cared for their students, carefully guiding them so that they would be ready to take their place in the world when the time came. And students surprised their teachers by shouldering burdens of responsibility that their elders hadn't expected them to be able to carry. He saw Sakura's intelligence reflected in Hermione, Naruto and Sasuke's determination reflected in Ron and Harry, the dedication of all the jounin senseis mirrored in Remus and Moody. He remembered McGonagall, presiding over her school in the same way that Tsunade guided and protected Konoha. As in his world, there was evil here—Bellatrix and Greyback and the mysterious Voldemort. But just like in his world, there were brave men and women who stood ready to combat that evil wherever it appeared. Kakashi bowed formally from the waist. "Thank you all for the help that you've given me." Then he raised the Cup over his head, and tipped it so that the water within splashed down onto him.

* * *

"Don't worry, we'll make sure these two don't escape," Kingsley assured the group as a squad of Aurors escorted Bellatrix and Greyback out the door. "And we're going to search the manor house to see what else might be hidden here." Glancing around to see that no one was nearby, he whispered to Harry, "Were you three able to send our visitor home?"

Harry nodded. "As soon as he poured the water over himself, he disappeared. It was as if the water was…dissolving him or something. Hermione thinks it worked."

"That's good," replied Kingsley. "And what about the Cup itself?"

Hermione held up a handful of fragments. "This is all that's left of it." She smiled grimly. "You-Know-Who has one less piece of his soul to rely on now."

"I wonder how much time passed in his world?" Ron asked. "I mean, that guy Kakashi, I wonder what happened when he got back…It's too bad we have no way to contact him; he seemed like a pretty cool guy…"

* * *

_Why does my head feel like it's about to explode?_ Kakashi groaned and sat up, squinting at the bright light. The sun shone down from directly overhead, and he could hear birds chirping all around him. Looking to his left, he saw the Memorial Stone that he visited every morning. _It worked, then._ He wondered how much time had passed, and slowly got to his feet. _I should head back to the village. If it's been a while, people might be starting to get worried about me._ He took a few steps in the direction of the village, then paused and doubled back. He gazed down at the stone. _Obito, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit in…however long it's been. I was far away. But I did meet some people that you would have liked: people who stand by their friends no matter what, and accompany them through all dangers. It's thanks to them that I got back._

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei! Where have you been? I've been looking for you all day, you promised to train me!" Kakashi looked up to see Naruto running towards him.

_I've only been gone for a day? Well, at least that makes things less complicated. It would have been troublesome if I'd been declared a missing-nin or something._ "Eh, I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I had a bit of an accident, and…"

"I don't want to hear any of your lame excuses! You promised to train me! How am I supposed to get Sasuke back if you don't teach me new techniques to make me stronger?"

Kakashi smiled. "Okay, Naruto-kun, we'll train. Go find Yamato-san and bring him back here, okay?"

"Right!" Naruto ran off again.

Kakashi chuckled. _That kid is so full of energy._ Then his smile disappeared as he remembered how much danger Naruto was in. There was so much evil in the world, and the outcome of the battle between good and evil was forever uncertain. _But we're not the only ones to face this burden_, he thought, remembering the events of his adventure. _It's the same everywhere. But as long as there are a few people with the strength to fight evil, there's hope._ Kakashi turned and stared off into the distance, remembering a place that was drastically different from his own…but the same in the ways that truly mattered. _Ron, Harry, Hermione, McGonagall, Remus, Moody…I hope you succeed.

* * *

_

**A/N:** Hallelujah, finally let me upload this! I actually finished it last week, but the site was being glitchy and giving me trouble about uploading. Many thanks to whoever on the site staff fixed the problem.

I'm so, so sorry that it took me so long to finish this! I've been insanely busy with school lately, but I hope this was worth the wait.

A great big thank you to everyone who's reviewed!


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